Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Buses

Queue Jumps for Buses — The Ethical Way to Cut in Line

This short bus lane segment on East 97th Street lets M96 bus bypass the bottleneck preceding the traffic light.

Cutting in line is pretty much unacceptable behavior among decent human beings, but there's one exception to the rule: A bus carrying dozens people should go to the front of the line at traffic lights.

A "queue jump" is a simple street engineering tool to let buses bypass the queue of private vehicles at signalized intersections. They're quicker to install than full-on bus lanes but can still make a big difference by giving buses a way around the worst traffic bottlenecks on a route.

NYC DOT and the MTA are just beginning to install queue jumps on city streets. In this video, TransitCenter cheers on the new queue jump for the M96 at 97th and Madison, which was recently installed by DOT:

The M96 isn't one of the city's Select Bus Service routes, which typically have a basket of features like off-board fare payment to speed up service -- but that doesn't preclude smaller interventions at key locations, which is what DOT has done here. Citywide application of these targeted improvements is one of the recommendations in transit advocates' Bus Turnaround Campaign.

More please.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

KOMANOFF: Data Show South Bronx Isn’t Seeing Increased Traffic from Congestion Pricing

The central business district toll did not lead to a traffic influx in the South Bronx, our columnist reveals.

September 9, 2025

Opinion: Let’s Put a Real Busway on Atlantic Avenue

Yes, everyone is talking about the city's busway plans for Flatbush Avenue, but Brooklyn’s true corridor for bus rapid transit its east-west spine.

September 9, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Adams v. Adams Edition

Can a Speaker named Adams finish the job that a mayor named Adams has failed to do? Plus other news.

September 9, 2025

DOT Downsizes Very Modest Brooklyn Bike Lane Plan After Pushback

Activists were furious that such a minimal initial proposal had been truncated further after predictable bikelash.

September 8, 2025

Adams Admin. Will ‘Begin Installing’ Flatbush Ave. Bus Lanes After Years of Dithering

The full plan which includes pedestrian bump-outs and bus boarding islands will have to wait until the spring, officials said.

September 8, 2025
See all posts